March 1, 2010
· Filed under 411, Costco, Products I can't live without, kids · Tagged Costco Peanut Butter; Jif, Peanut Butter
| Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp
(Costco Kirkland Brand)
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Regular Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp
(Jif Brand)
|
| Calories 200 |
Calories 200 |
| Protein 9 grams |
Protein 7 grams |
| Total Fat 16 grams |
Total Fat 16 grams |
| Saturated Fat 3 grams |
Saturated Fat 3 grams |
| Trans Fat 0 grams |
Trans Fat 0 grams (umm, not really see below) |
| Cholesterol 0 mg |
Cholesterol 0 mg |
| Sodium 45 mg |
Sodium 150mg |
| Total Carbs 7 g |
Total Carbs 7g |
| Dietary Fiber 2 grams |
Dietary Fiber 2 grams |
| Sugars 2 grams |
Sugars 3 grams |
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| IngredientsDry roasted organic peanuts and salt. |
IngredientsMADE FROM ROASTED PEANUTS AND SUGAR. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: MOLASSES, FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SALT. |
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Ounce for Ounce these 2 Peanut Butters look pretty similar? Yep, that is the kicker. The only glaring difference is that Jif has 3 times more salt! But this is America, land of the loopholes. The 2% or less (per serving, not jar) allows companies to post 0 trans fats as long as there is less than half a gram in a serving. A serving is two tablespoons. Two percent would be 9 grams of trans fat per 454 gram jar.
Does peanut butter REALLY need to be Organic? Pesticides and the peanuts: Peanuts are one of the most highly sprayed crops out there. You decide. My kids eat so much of the stuff it is a no-brainer for me.
If your peanut butter is SOLID when you put the knife in it has trans fat, that is why an oil that should not be solid is! Period.
Tips for dealing with the oil:
The oil in peanuts is monounsaturated, and diets high in this type of fat have been shown to lower levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol while preserving levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Peanut oil also contains beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that studies show can inhibit cancer growth.
Sure, you could dump the oil, but I say keep it! So here is how to have less mess
- Store the PB upside down before opening it! The oil will rise to the bottom of the jar and then you can sir it back in with less mess.
- If you just want to dump it, try dumping half
- Dump all the oil out mix PB by adding it back in a bit at a time
*I would also like to note my girlfriend told me she didn’t buy organic peanut butter because she has no room in her fridge! I thought “Oh crud, I have never put it in the fridge!” I promptly came home and checked and Costco’s Organic PB does not need to be refrigerated!
December 27, 2009
· Filed under Products I can't live without · Tagged dicer, slicer
Santa knew EXACTLY what this clean eater needed and he HOOKED me up! Thanks Santa, you’re the best!
If you read this blog you know what a fan I am of the Nicer Dicer! (BTW, this fabulous product is available from QVC in AWESOME colors now, around $40, and it also now has a third chopping size-COOL! I paid $20 for the white one before it was a QVC favorite and you can still find it on ebay for $20 and under. Video demo of Nicer Dicer can be seen if you click above the product photo on the video tab, at QVC).
In looking for a few Nicer Dicers to give as gifts I discovered another fabulous product they make called the Genius Snap N Slice 5 Piece Food Wedger and Multi Slicer! Umm, hello…how did I NOT KNOW about this? So I asked and Santa delivered. (ebay again, can get them for under $10, or around $20 on Amazon)
This is perfect for: cucumber slices, mushroom slices, lemon wedges, strawberries, egg slices, radishes, beets, tomato wedges, zucchini’s so forth. For me this is perfect for when a recipe calls for just a handful of wedges, slices, or chunks. Not for heavy dicing. Also perfect for throwing together a salad super-quickly that looks like you spent hours preparing as far as the dicing and prep goes! Pretty!
I also come across recipes almost weekly that call for veggies to have been prepped via a mandolin. Now I don’t care how much you might like to slice, there is really no way to get pieces all as thin an in uniform sizes (so they cook evenly) as a mandolin will. The down-side of mandolin’s… they are another item to store, and they are not cheap (if you get a good one). Well Santa brought me the Adjustable Kyocera slicer/mandolin with a ceramic blade (which means I do not need to replace it or swap it out) and come to find it is only $25! I have used it twice (yes twice since yesterday) and I love it! The slice size is easy to adjust and it is super simple, with cleanup being a snap!
Again, if you only want one thing to assist you in prep work, get the Nicer Dicer!
November 5, 2009
· Filed under Costco, Products I can't live without, Shake It Up!!!, SuperFoods, kids
This is hands-down one of my favorite finds, and favorite products. I found Wellesse Vitamin D last year at Costco and have been a die-hard believer since! (I have also seen it at our local Walgreens.)
It is estimated that 70% of all Americans (kids too) are deficient in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial to our being. Experts believe we need around 1,000 units of vitamin D a day.
Dr. Oz has said that “Vitamin D is critically important for preventing cancer and critically important for reducing heart problems. It’s linked to multiple sclerosis, to juvenile diabetes. It’s one of the best ways of reducing infection rates. It’s got a ton of things that it does for you to make your immune system function the way you want to function.”
There are also studies showing Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression, osteoporosis, and many other chronic conditions.
You can get Vitamin D naturally through sunlight, you need about 10 minutes a day of direct sunlight, but if you live in the Northern portion of the USA this might be near impossible. I know in Seattle it is not even a consideration. So if you are not taking a Vitamin D supplement you are probably deficient. A simple blood test can tell you your Vitamin D levels.
Many multivitamins have vitamin D2 not vitamin D3 - which is the preferred & recommended form, and found in this product. Wellesse is clear and tastes GREAT! I just add it to my water bottle in the morning. For the kids I put it in their water or juice. It has a yummy berry taste and in no way taste like medicine! Just 2 teaspoons (how easy is that) does the trick!
Here is the 411 on Wellesse
1000 IU Vitamin D3 – the preferable form of vitamin D
Fast absorbing liquid that’s easy for the whole family to enjoy
Supports immune, breast, colon and bone health
Just 2 teaspoons, once a day, for adults or one teaspoon for children over age 4, means no more pills to swallow
Research has shown that nutrients from liquid sources can be more easily absorbed than from solids
I haven’t tried the Wellesse Calcium & Vitamin D3 liquid yet but my guess would be this is a sure thing too!
October 28, 2009
· Filed under Fruit, Products I can't live without, Veggies · Tagged chopping, Fruit, Veggies
OK. I know what you are thinking, and you are right! I totally had insomnia and got sucked into this “infomercial”…and yes I called! But I am not even going to bow my head because it was a call that changed my life!!!! I have never ordered anything from the television prior to the Nicer Dicer, nor since, but this product ROCKS!
I don’t mind cooking, though 9 times out of 10 I will find a short-cut if there is one! If someone else can do it better than I can why would I re-invent the wheel? Thus my love for pre-made pie dough, Whole Food’s pizza dough, Trader Joe’s frozen Garlic Cubes…I could go on and on! Well the only thing about eating fresh and healthy that I frankly think BLOWS is all these darn fruit and veggies have to be peeled, cleaned, chopped or diced. I think if a recipe called for a bell pepper and you could just drop the whole darn pepper in…well more people would probably eat their veggies. I HIGHLY DISLIKE chopping and dicing. I know some of you may find it therapeutic and even relaxing-yeah for you! I do not!
So two years ago when I saw this infomercial I thought why not? Guess what, it is the real deal and it rocks! I am putting this video in so you can see 1st-hand how it works (sorry about the guys annoying accent)! I have had mine for two years and nothing has cracked, broken-notta! It really is a work-horse and gets used in our house almost every day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssNVPIOoRFQ
And this is the only product of this kind I am endorsing! If you go buy a slap-chop that is your own fault!!! (NOT THE SAME THING PEOPLE)
October 22, 2009
· Filed under Breakfast, Fast Food Options, Products I can't live without · Tagged Breakfast
My new FAVORITE bite-to-eat on the go is the Starbucks Egg White Spinach & Feta Wrap! Yummy! If your Starbucks is not yet serving this fabulous find ask them to get it! The feta is obviously the key to this wrap doing what feta does best…giving just the right amount of “umph” to a dish! Egg white, spinach, and a touch of feta wrapped in a “lavash” (basically a wheat tortilla).
Now the sodium in this wrap is OVER THE TOP at around 1100 mg (OUCH!!) so this is certainly not an everyday breakfast…but in a pinch, or at the airport or on the road it is CERTAINLY a better choice than McDonald’s or most any other fast food option! Plus if you are eating well and drinking a lot of water this splurge really should not do too much damage.
The upside is the 19 grams of protein! We all know breakfast is the most important meal, and that we need to get our metabolisms revved up and going first thing in the morning…but all too often we simply don’t have time. This wrap will meet your needs and give you some get-up-and-go for the day!
Also…folks…just because you are being handed this from over a counter verses sitting down and having it served to you…PLEASE PLEASE know this is not a snack! At 280 calories this is a MEAL! BREAKFAST!
Thanks to Starbucks for offering something other than just those “High Class Egg McMuffins!”
280 Calories, 9g fat, 1,100mg sodium, 35g carbs, 8g fiber, 4g sugars, 19g protein
If you don’t live by a Trader Joe’s, I am so sorry! I also hope you are campaigning to get one! It really is life changing.